28 Weeks

Let's play a number's game:

1 trimester left.
2 doctor's visits a month.
3 centimeter stomach gain in two weeks.
4 weeks until the baby's room is finished.
5 pillows Kristina uses in various places when sleeping.
6 weeks until Kristina's first Mother's Day.
6.2 miles from our apartment to the hospital.
7 "easy" months behind us.
8 ethnicities Nemo will be a part of.
9 possible names we're still debating.
10 pounds gained by Brady so far.
11 pounds gained by Kristina so far.
12 different routes to the hospital Brady wants to find before May 1.
15 inches long the baby is right now.
22 inches long--how long the baby will probably be when born.

58 days until Brady's jaw surgery.
60 days until Kristina starts her maternity leave.

61 days until Cathedral's graduation.
75 days until Chaminade's graduation.
85 days until Nemo's due date.
98 days until Auntie Sara comes home.

27 Weeks

Tonight while we were eating dinner, Kristina said that Nemo was being rambunctious.  I looked over and could see her stomach moving.  There were about 2 or 3 real good "butt bumps" that I noticed from about 5 feet away.  Kristina and I just stared at her stomach in awe.  It is so great to see and feel those movements because it really helps me connect more concretely with both the baby and Kristina. 

Since Kristina is closing in on her last trimester, she has to go to the doctor's office every two weeks. During her last trip, they measured her for the first time. They expect a pregnant woman to grow one centimeter for every week she is pregnant, for a total of 40 centimeters. Well, Kristina is 3 cm ahead of schedule. For all that extra size, however, she hasn't gained an equivalent amount of weight. Which means that Nemo is long and skinny. Sound like anyone you know?

As for other news, we got this baby monitor that is supposed to help you hear your baby's heart beat. It's basically a sensitive microphone connected to headphones.  They say you can hear the heart beat, hiccups and maybe even kicking. But when we listened we just heard the sound of flowing water. Turns out you can't hear any of the good stuff for a couple of more weeks. But the flowing water was the sound of blood and nutrients flowing in and out of the placenta; literally the sound of life.

Later that night I tested the microphone on my belly and put on the headphones to see what I could hear. I couldn't hear anything interesting, so I turned the volume up. Then I farted and almost went deaf (no joke).

It's a good thing that I didn't go deaf because I applied for a job with the CIA over the weekend (also, no joke).  They need a few good men or women to join the Clandestine Services and I provided my high score on the James Bond game for the Wii in my list of positive attributes.  If I hear from them, I'll let you know--or maybe I'll be in the cone of silence.  

Will Nemo kick so hard that he or she break's Kristina's ribs?  Will Brady be abducted in his sleep and put on a cargo ship headed to Venezuela?  Tune in next week, same baby time, same baby channel.

26 Weeks

Over the weekend, we went to a "Labor and Delivery Class" at the hospital.  Basically it was a crash course in all the possible things that could happen during labor.  They recommend that we go so that we aren't pestering the nurses and doctors during Show Time.  There were maybe 15 other couples in the class with us--some of them due very soon.  After we heard all the horror stories, saw the diagrams and watched one particularly graphic and nausea-inducing video, we learned that a doctor has to give you a Cesarian Section if you request it.  All the women in the room gave one another a look.  It was the look of, "Hey, I don't have to be anyone's hero." For what it's worth, just being a human incubator for nine months qualifies one for the Hall of Justice in my book.

In far more important news, two interesting things happened when Kristina came to my swim team's first meet today.  First, being pregnant and sitting the bleachers doesn't mix.  She had to leave after the 200 freestyle relay and is now laying on her second ice pack of the night.  After the meet when I got home she said, "Nemo must have been practicing her flutter kick at your meet--she was going crazy."  I teared up.  

Later, during dinner, Kristina reported that, "Now Nemo's practicing her flip turns."  Too much to handle.  It sounds like Kristina needs to get her "bleacher butt" in better shape.  

For all the movement that Kristina can feel, I have only felt the baby move once.  After weeks of hurrying over to her, placing my hands on her stomach and coming away empty handed, I felt what seemed like a slight twitch.  It was very cool.  We decided that it was clearly a "butt bump" and deduced that Nemo likes to boogie.  

Thanks for all the love and support.  It's always great hearing from our friends and family.  More next week.  

  

25 Weeks

Submitted for your consideration:

and

and 

I suggest that Nemo's got rhythm--which is good, because Dad doesn't.  

Over the weekend, Kristina was asked to dance at the "Many Cultures, One Faith Liturgy" during the LA Religious Education Congress.  She carried the baby beautifully in front of over 1,000 people and I was so proud of her.  

Thanks for the name suggestions.  We'll take them under advisement.  More next week.